Get Out There Report
November 30 - December 7, 2006
Nov./Dec. issue of Get Out There is on the street!
Pick it up this week! Check out articles on indoor group cycling, our annual ski resort season preview and more! Plus look for these great deals inside:
$10 off your pre-season ski tune-up at Mt. Kirby in Oshawa (today is the last day to take advantage of this deal);
$20 off any bicycle accessories at D'Ornellas;
and a whopping $200 off Thule Evolution Boxes at Rack Attack in Toronto!
Find us at your favourite shop today or click here to view the entire issue online!
Snow report
While Toronto and area resorts are suffering from warm and wet weather and most have delayed opening, a number of eastern Ontario and Quebec resorts are opening soon! Check 'em out!
Calabogie Peaks in Calabogie, ON is tentatively scheduled to open on Friday, December 1st. During opening week, you can ski anytime for just $20. On Saturday, December 2nd, Calabogie will hold its Open House and Customer Appreciation Day, a jam-packed event: meet Calabogie’s instructors, sign up for lessons, get your passholder photo taken, join a tour of the resort’s snowmaking facilities, save money at The Outpost, get a free lift ticket when you buy your Peaks Passes (book of five) and enter your name to win Perks from The Peaks. www.calabogie.com
Stoneham Mountain Resort in Québec has postponed its official opening to Saturday, December 2nd. Snow is expected and temperatures will reach a high of -1°C. Snow phone: 418-848-2415. www.ski-stoneham.com
At Mont Tremblant, 5 lifts are currently open. If you’re planning to book a stay, consider creating your own package (A La Carte Reservations) via the resort’s online Vacation Planner. www.tremblant.ca
Mont-Sainte-Anne Resort is expecting snow on the weekend, with temps reaching -4°C. Snow phone: 418-827-4579. www.mont-sainte-anne.com
Petition to promote cycling in Canada
A petition has been set up online to urge the federal government to promote cycling as a preferred means of transportation. It discusses the environmental and health benefits of cycling, and offers suggestions for how the government can entice more Canadians to become bicycle commuters. Please click here to sign the petition and pass the link to your friends if you feel so inclined.
New colours for adidas burna goggle
To help you look stylin’ while you’re out on the slopes, adidas has launched six new flashy colours to its burna line of ski and snowboard goggles: gold/gold (frame/lens), silver/silver, black/silver, matte black, black/red, lilac/white, khaki/creme and cosmic blue (pictured).
www.adidas.com
VR Pro holiday cards available
If you have taken part in any VR Pro race this year, go to www.vrpro.ca and pick from the event photos available along with a Christmas card, Hannukah card and others. The holiday cards will also be offered for the Cedar Springs Pharmacy Jingle Bell 5K race on December 10th.
Get Out There’s “Green…and proud of it!” campaign
In conjunction with our two-year anniversary this month, the campaign supports our mandate to keep the environment clean and green!
Online survey
Tell us what you’d like to see in the Get Out There Report. Race reports? Prizes? More photos, tips or news? Send your ideas to karen@getouttheremag.com and you might see it in a future Report!
Race preview: From Ottawa commuter to African voyager
Experienced adventure racer Andrew Cameron is about to embark on an amazing five-month mountain bike race across Africa. Throughout his journey, he’ll be sending us reports and photos. He gives us a sneak peek into the excitement below:
Twenty spare tubes, just as many patch kits, club pack of baby wipes, small mountain of spare batteries for my headlamp, an obscene amount of lubricant for both man and machine, etc, etc, etc. This is not a typical packing list; then again, the Tour d'Afrique is not a typical mountain bike race.
The Tour d'Afrique is a 12,000 km mountain bike stage race from Cairo, Egypt to Cape Town, South Africa. Riding that mammoth distance over some of the world's more punishing roads in 97 days is going to require a good deal of spare gear to keep both my bike and myself rolling.
Staying warm by night and cool by day in the desert in Egypt, redefining the washboard and soft sand through the Sahara in Sudan, climbing to oxygen-depriving heights in Ethiopia, having an equator-crossing party in Kenya, weaving through locals with massive payloads of wood, water and other living supplies on their bicycles in Tanzania, dodging rock-throwing, playful children in Malawi, avoiding large piles of elephant dung and getting trampled in Zambia and Botswana, staying hydrated through the Namib desert in Namibia, and returning to a westernized society in South Africa – these are just some of the challenges that don't usually make it into mountain bike races as we know them.
My goal is not to push for the Tour win, but to be part of an elite club -- the EFI -- that rides “Every Fabulous Inch” from Cairo to Cape Town. But I’ll push for at least one stage win.
Aside from the gear preparation, there is also the physical preparation for the journey. Surprisingly, this has been one of the easier tasks. Commuting around Ottawa on my bike 12 months of the year, a few seasons of adventure racing and a few recent visits to my chiropractor at the Holistic Clinic (www.holisticclinic.ca) have me feeling surprisingly confident in my ability to cover the distance. Aerobic endurance of the cycling muscles is certainly important; but being mentally ready for day after day after day of hammering out kilometres in the saddle and staying happy will push me far longer than a higher VO2 max from more aerobic training.
On this tour, I am raising money for the Tour d'Afrique
Foundation which donates new, culturally specific
bicycles to native African health care workers. This
increases the radius of people they can care for
without the use of an economically impractical, high-
emission motor vehicle. To donate to the Foundation,
visit www.12000km.blogspot.com.
I am also riding with hope to encourage more people
to use a bicycle as a commuting tool. The low
expense and health benefits of bicycle commuting
have physically and financially enabled me to do this
tour. As well, it has provided enjoyment and activity in
a busy lifestyle. I hope to infect more people with the
same bug.
To learn more about the race, visit www.tourdafrique.com.
Ontario Sports & Outdoor Calendar
Cycling (Road)
December
2 (Sat) Coaches Development Day at FCVA. A free professional development day for Ontario cycling coaches. Agenda involves discussion on motivation through goal setting, resistance training for cycling, rider recruitment and development programs and more presentations. To register, email Chris Helwig at chris@coachchris.ca. For directions, go to www.forestcityvelodrome.ca. Forest City Velodrome, London, ON. www.ontariocycling.org
Festivals / Shows / Special Events / Seminars
December
3 (Sun) Blue Mountain Art & Artefacts Show. In recognition of Blue Mountain's 65th Anniversary, the Art & Artefacts Show will honour the artistic interests of Blue Mountain Resort's founder, Jozo Weider, and pay homage to some of the art and artefacts that have captured the uniqueness and natural beauty of the Blue Mountain region. Held in the Georgian Bay room of the Village Conference Centre. Blue Mountain Resort, Collingwood, ON. www.bluemountain.ca
Running / Walking
December
2 (Sat) Santa Shuffle. Multiple cities, ON. For more details, visit http://www.runningroom.com/hm/inside.php?id=3194
5 (Tue) Essential Strength Training for Endurance Athletes. A seminar designed to aid endurance athletes in their strength training programming. Cost: $10. 8pm. Please call to reserve a spot. The Urban Athlete, Toronto, ON. 416-481-8880, info@theurbanathlete.ca, www.theurbanathlete.ca
Ski (Downhill)
November
30 (Thu) Voyageurs Ski and Snowboard Club Info Sessions. Join the Voyageurs this season, as new members are welcome. The Open House is a chance to find out more about programs and activities this season. The Voyageurs are a travelling ski club for adults. Scallywags Bar, Toronto, ON. www.voyageurs.ca
Spinning
December
7 (Thu) SALTYDOG Building Hills. SALTYDOG delivers an engaging 50-minute spinning session featuring a 22-minute hill climb followed by pyramid intervals. Guaranteed to be challenging and rewarding. Come ready to work hard! Class starts at 7pm. Perfect Circles, Maple, ON. 905-303-0055, info@perfectcircles.ca, www.perfectcircles.ca
Swimming
December
3 (Sun) McMaster University Swim Improvement Clinic. Every athlete will be divided into a group with swimmers of their own skill level, from absolute novice afraid of the water to competitive club swimmers who need small stroke alterations. Every athlete will be videotaped and given feedback on their form and areas for improvement. Athletes will be put through a dozen specific swim drills guaranteed to improve your swimming. Athletes will be taken through an injury prevention swim warm-up and dryland program. The day is for distance freestyle pool swimmers and triathletes from Kids of Steel to age group Ironman.
Limited space available. McMaster University Athletic complex, 50m swimming pool, Hamilton, ON. 905-838-2662, info@c3online.ca, www.c3online.ca/events.shtml#SwimClinic
Volleyball
December
2 (Sat) Glenforest Secondary School Fundraiser Volleyball Tournament. A coed 6's intermediate volleyball tournament. This day will include a minimum of 8 games and lunch for your team to purchase, created and served by the volleyball club. Successful teams will continue on to the playoffs. 9am-6pm. All games are at Glenforest (Dixie and Burnhamthorpe), Toronto, ON. 416-539-8828, info@wtssc.com, http://www.gowestathletics.com/events/index.php
Gear Review: SOLE custom footbeds
Sick of listening to all that whining on the chairlift from your boyfriend
or girlfriend about how much their feet hurt? Give them some relief
this winter with a pair of custom moldable footbeds from SOLE. Unlike generic insoles that try to force your foot into a foreign shape, SOLE ctually molds to the shape of your foot and boot. All this without losing their supportive shape, making it a more comfortable, better fit every time. Want more? SOLE molds in less than five minutes and can be re-heated up to five times, all in the comfort of your own home. Essential for anyone who plans to ski, hike or play footsie this winter. $44.95
www.yoursole.com
Video Clip of the Week: Ski to the Max: Heli-skiing in Valdez, Alaska (3 min 12 sec)
Here’s a clip from Willy Bogner’s “Ski to the Max” (2000),
the first ski and snowboard feature film in IMAX format
produced in Germany.
Click here to view the clip.
Calling all Get Out There computer junkies -
if there is something cool that you have found, whether
it is an old clip of your favourite athlete or just some great sports footage, we would love to hear from you.
Email karen@getouttheremag.com with the link.
Cardio track of the week: Les Rhythmes Digitals – “Jacques Your Body (Make me
Sweat)” (2005)
The funky slap bass and disco fever should have you sweating on the dance floor in no time. Watch the video here.
If there is a song that always gets your blood pumping,
drop us a line at karen@getouttheremag.com.
Your song could be the cardio track of the week!
Sports tip of the week: How to demo gear
Before you buy skis or a snowboard, it's a good idea to try it out first. Consider these tips if you attend a consumer demo day at a ski resort or shop.
- Take the first run of the day on your own equipment, so you can have a baseline for comparison.
- Have in mind several models you want to test, based on magazine equipment reviews and/or recommendations of the reps or shop employees.
- Don't try to test too many models in one day. Five or six is about right for most people.
- Take two or three runs on each model, staying on the same terrain.
- Try the product at various speeds within your comfort range, and make a variety of turns.
- Factors to take into consideration are stability, comfort, weight, edge grip and maneuverability. In a word, is it "you"ser-friendly?
- Make written notes. (Tuck a small notebook and pen into your pocket.) You may think you'll remember each model you test, but written notes are your best bet.
(Source: www.snowlink.com)
Article of the week: Want to work with a personal trainer?
Ten tough questions trainers should be able to answer. By Rod Macdonald
From the May/June 2006 issue of Get Out There Magazine
Personal training is the most widely offered program at health clubs, with over 90% of clubs offering the service to their members. No longer solely for the rich and famous, consumers are working with personal trainers in record numbers to help them achieve their fitness goals.
Like most allied health professionals, personal trainers provide a service based on their combined education and experience. Because personal trainers are a largely unregulated group, hiring a personal trainer is a “buyer-beware” process where the consumer must have clear expectations to ensure they are getting what they pay for.
Typically consumers have two major expectations of the personal trainer they hire: that they will get results, and that they will not get hurt in the process. Unfortunately, few consumers ask the kinds of questions they should be asking to ensure those expectations are met. Here are ten questions you can ask to help you make the best decision possible.
1 Are you certified?
2 Do you attend continuing education events to maintain your certification?
3 How long have you been working as a personal trainer?
4 What kind of screening will I undergo?
5 What is your area of expertise?
6 Do you have a network of allied health professionals with whom you work?
7 What is your philosophy of fitness and personal training?
8 May I contact any of your past clients for a reference?
9 What are your business policies?
10 What are your expecations of me?
Click here for the full article.
Sports job board
Executive Director of the Ontario Cycling Association (OCA)
Reports to: OCA Board of Directors
Promote, develop, organize and control the operation of the OCA, as outlined in the mission, vision and value statements and in accordance with the goals and objectives identified in the strategic plan.
Specific responsibilities:
- Report regularly to the Board of Directors of the OCA.
- Manage the operation of OCA’s multi-discipline cycling organization.
- Maintain all human resource aspects of the association.
- Maintain legal aspects annual and ongoing filing requirements with Ontario government.
- Maintain financial control of operation in conjunction with OCA’s VP of Finance and Administration.
- Prepare annual budget and cash flow statements.
- Review actual vs. budget on a monthly basis and prepare variance reports.
- Work with the OCA auditor to complete annual audited statements.
- Develop and maintain funding opportunities to maximize Cycling OCA’s resources.
- Develop federal grant opportunities with appropriate ministries.
- Organize OCA’s gaming application and control the use of funds.
- Maintain a relationship with the Hamilton Cycling Centre.
- Promote development of the sport by obtaining sponsorship/donations for various events and programs.
- Maintain ongoing relationships with all sponsors and advertisers.
- Maintain OCA’s risk management and insurance programs with the Canadian Cycling Association.
- Work with computer technology and website consultants to upgrade the present equipment, systems and websites.
- Maintain the OCA’s membership system.
- Promote new programs such as Sprockids.
- Liaise with OCA’s member club presidents, general managers and cycling committee chairs.
- Maintain an open door policy to meet with members of the public and to answer telephone inquiries from members and the public.
- Liaise with other cycling organizations such as the Canadian Cycling Association and other Provincial Cycling Associations.
- Maintain an ongoing liaison with all OCA’s committees.
- Oversee OCA’s internal and external communications.
- Act as chief spokesperson for the association in order to inform about and promote the sport of cycling.
Requirements:
- Proven management experience with an organization of similar size.
- Demonstrated ability to balance the need for strategic thinking and operational excellence.
- Experience working with a volunteer board of directors.
- A positive progressive management style.
- Ability to work with limited direction and exercise sound judgment in complex situations.
- Ability to express themselves effectively in both oral and written communication.
- Ability to demonstrate leadership, motivate and give directions to staff.
- Experience in financial planning, budgeting and analysis of the operations.
- Experience and understanding of the provincial sport environment and knowledge of organized competitive cycling are decided assets.
- Experience developing and successfully implementing marketing strategies.
- Post-secondary education is desirable.
Salary is commensurate with experience.
Please send a resume and cover letter with salary expectations in MS Word format to:
Ontario Cycling Association
Attn: Executive Director hiring committee
careers@ontariocycling.org
Deadline: 12 pm on December 14th, 2006.
Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.
Triathlon Coach for Team in Training
The Greater Toronto Area Chapter of Team in Training (the world’s largest endurance sports training program) will be introducing triathlon for the first time in Spring 2007. They are currently seeking triathlon coaches for their inaugural season.
If you’re interested in working with a great organization, helping dedicated participants reach their goals and know what it takes to be a great coach, this opportunity is for you! Contact Maria Broekhof at 416-661-2873 ext. 103 or
maria.broekhof@lls.org.
About Team In Training: Participants raise funds for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada in exchange for training, support, lodging and airfare to the event of their choice. Since
TNT’s inception, more than 220,000 participants have raised $600 million across North America.
The Get Out There Report is a free service brought to you by Get Out There Magazine, your complete source for sports, outdoor recreation and play!
To submit content for the Get Out There Report, please contact karen@getouttheremag.com
Please note that the Get Out Report will not publish in the last two weeks of December.
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